Drawing inspiration from the sea, with its shades of darker and lighter blue and the sinuous reflections of the sunlight, the new headquarters for Seaside Collection, an international luxury hotel group, is located on the island of Gran Canaria. Designed by PK35 arquitectos, the building is both a tribute to the surrounding nature, which is brought inside through the perforated pattern of the walls, and a place to feel at home. The interior design was the work of a team composed of Fedora Bacchetta, Filippo Calzavara and Laura Peñas, and it placed great emphasis on the natural light that, filtered through the spaces in the walls and partitions, multiplies shapes in a combination of light and dark. Active and passive solar shading systems are used to further optimize light levels, with an advanced, automated lighting design system also installed to ensure the ideal light at all times.

The primary importance of nature in the project is accentuated by the extensive outdoor spaces, especially the lunchtime zone, a central space with tables, palms trees and other types of plants. Connections between interior and exterior spaces are built on the principles of transparency, lightness and flexibility, with the latter especially important in being able to cater for the differing needs of employee groups. A good example of this is the use of the transparent partition walls, which create a visually open and interconnected space, but also provide the necessary divisions in the layout of the working space.

Choosing the right materials was central to a successful project, with artisan solutions selected in some cases, such as the chandeliers, which are as important as the furniture. Estel Group’s involvement in the project was to provide the furnishings and the internal partitions. For the normal workstations, various options from the Cavalletto collection were chosen, exploiting the rectangular tops, the freedom of composition and the vast array of finishes. These were supplemented with the addition of Deck storage and drawer units, among other elements. A multifunctional space was also created using Isola Shop furniture from the Coffice series as this provides what is necessary for varied uses, including a meeting space, a common area and a break-out zone for a snack or coffee.

For the dividing walls, in addition to the various furnished solutions that can be combined according to need to provide greater privacy or a more suitable space for working together, tailor-made technical modules and Walltech solutions were also used. These provide excellent soundproofing and are compatible with all Estel partition systems. They also include magnetic laminate panels that can be used both as whiteboards and as magnetic supports for the placement of office equipment.